Friday, March 30, 2012

I've been super sick all week and busy at work, so I haven't had time to post any new recipes, although I have a few ready!

On Tuesday, I will be leaving for New Orleans. I can't wait to share my adventures in eating and drinking while visiting. Then it is Easter, so I'm going to have to create a delicious vegetarian meal for myself as my dad has informed me they will be serving rabbit, goat, lamb.... and lots of other food I do not eat.

I have SO much to do before I leave - clean my house, laundry, pack, make sure my doggy & kitteh are settled in their vacation spots while Mommy is on vacation... that I don't think I'll be able to do any real posts until after I return.

So, to hold you over until that time comes, I am going to write a non-recipe post and share the deliciousness and disaster that was last weekend.

My sister bought a new car, a very adorable Honda Fit. Her old car, a 1994 Ford Taurus wagon, was still in South Jersey. She drove up north Friday night because I was going to south early Saturday morning to pick up the car and drive it to my dad's shop. I had actually intended to take that car so I would no longer have to pay car payments or high insurance, saving some dollars and paying some debt, saving for Disney in September and generally not having to worry about these payments anymore.

The trip started with us running out of gas 2 minutes from our end destination. Melissa apparently has a problem with getting gas once the little light comes on warning you that you are about to run out of gas. But thankfully, her boyfriend saved us, and then we went to have breakfast at my favorite place, The Pop Shop in Collingswood, NJ! Check out their amazing menu here.

Once we got there, Melissa (a vegan) and I found out that they now had a tofu scramble menu option, AND that you could turn any of their fabulous omelettes into a tofu scramble! It made our morning.

I got the Veggie Rollo: Jack cheese, avocado, vegetarian sausage, and salsa with a dollop of sour cream.

It was delicious! A little spicy though, I didn't realize they also added some hot peppers, but yummy all the same. They also have soy cheese options, but I went for the real thing. Though I don't cook with cheese myself, and I am trying to cut dairy out, it is a process!

Then I met up with some friends to see The Hunger Games. It was awesome.

Then we went back to Pop Shop for my round two!

Pop Shop has been on Bobby Flay Throwdown for their grilled cheese. I've tried quite a few on their menu, and my life goal is to maybe try them all, vegetarianized.

I even got a soy ice cream shake to go - coconut flavored! I did not, however, take a picture because it was time to head back on the road!

Ready for my 2+ hour drive, I enjoyed my shake. Then, things started to go down hill. The car being a 1994, I knew it wasn't going to be a smooth ride. But my sister had made the drive in it for the past 6 months, so I figured I'd be okay.

Wrong.

All of a sudden, there was lots of smoke billowing out the back. Then out the front. And it smelled like fire. That is when I pulled into a shopping center only about 10 minutes from my house thankfully. I texted my location to my dad, got a phone call back, and then my phone died. Damn you, iPhone!

Then I waited and finally my dad came. Sunday I ended up having to call a tow truck and drive behind it to my dad's shop, wasting another perfect day. Although, I did spot a farmer's market and picked up some yummy produce for under $17.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Directions:
1. Squeeze all the moisture out of your tofu! I like to put it between a few paper towels and softly squeeze it. I've also read about putting it between paper towels with something heavy like a plate on top.
2. I then like to freeze it for a bit, just so it is hard enough to cut straight and firm it up
3. Slice it to the desired shape and thickness
4. Bake it! I had it on 400 degrees. I baked it for 25 minutes one side, flipped and baked for another 15. Bake it until it is a little golden and slightly dry
5. Smother it with your favorite sauce! I have tried buffalo mixed with veganaise and bbq. Both delish!
6. Eat your heart out!

Lazy tip: Bake a bunch plain ahead of time, add to a salad or stir fry, or serve with a sauce and your fave veggies!

I see a lot of blogs with "faux egg salad" or "faux chicken salad" which I'm sure are delicious, but what is the point of calling it these things that are not in it? This is a filling and tasty tofu salad to use for sandwiches! Delish!

Lazy tip: Though there are a lot of ingredients, it is quick to make and is an easy fix for work lunches!